> I once saw a world map that had the nations divided into 10 regions. This
> ostensibly under the "new world order". Does anyone know where I might find
> this map on the internet? As I recall, Canada, Mexico and the U.S. were
> considered as "one" region; thus, no borders.

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MONTPELIER, VT (CNSNews) -- Vermont's "civil union" law takes effect
July 1, and as the date draws closer, a number of Vermont town clerks
and justices of the peace insist they will not issue licenses or perform
ceremonies for same-sex couples.

"I have resigned," said Tunbridge Town Clerk Helen O'Donnell in an
exclusive interview with CNSNews.com.

"Under my moral beliefs, I feel I cannot issue the licenses. While the
law allows me to appoint someone to act in my place, I didn't think that
was right either, so I did what I had to do. I resigned."

The civil union legislation, signed into law by Democratic Governor
Howard Dean in April, grants same-sex couples legal rights equivalent to
those enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. Although the union is
legally binding, it is not called marriage, but some critics see little
difference.

Family groups fear the bill as passed will have a negative impact on the
state and may be used to undermine marriage laws across the country.

O'Donnell, the Tunbridge town clerk, said she decided to resign after
much thought, including discussions with her pastor. "He showed me
relevant portions of scripture, but he didn't try to persuade me. He
told me my actions should be based on my convictions."

O'Donnell said the town selectmen have asked her not to leave her post,
but she said she decided to go now, rather than subject the town to any
legal expense arising from potential lawsuits.

Tunbridge is a small town of 1,200 people located about 30 miles from
White River Junction.

Asked for her estimate of how many people in town support the law,
O'Donnell responded, "Most of the people in town are sad that it went
through."

While declining to name other dissident clerks, ODonnell said, "Some of
my colleagues told me they will stay in office and fight the law and
take the consequences."

O'Donnell said only a minority of the state's 251 town clerks "have a
problem with the law." Asked for a number, she responded, "between 30
and 40," adding that some may end up appointing other people to issue
civil union licenses.

Susan Fortunati, town clerk of Corinth, Vermont, a town of 1,250 people,
insisted, "I will not issue them."

Asked how she will avoid carrying out the law, the clerk responded, "I
don't have an answer. I don't have an actual plan of action as yet. I
would hope to have a plan by July 1st. It's now a day-to-day situation.
I have a lot to think about."

Asked if she would appoint someone else to do the job, Fortunati said,
"My feeling is, if I appoint someone, I am then an accomplice to the
issuance of the license."

Fortunati had no comment on whether civil unions are guaranteed by the
Vermont Constitution, but she did say, "It absolutely is a moral issue
for me. I believe in God, and I believe God doesn't look favorably on
this type of union. I have to live with myself. Once you sell your soul,
you don't get it back. I have to live by what I believe to be right."

Asked if she has considered resignation, Fortunati responded, "I have
not come to a full decision about what I will do."

Municipal officials who decline to perform the civil union ceremony face
legal repercussions, according to Steven Jeffrey, executive director of
the Vermont League of Cities and Towns.

"Those refusing to perform those duties imposed by law must understand
the legal implications of their actions. They are subject to penalties
and fines."

According to Jeffrey, the individual towns also are subject to legal
sanctions and the cost of legal fees if the clerk's refusal results in
civil litigation.

"Title IX of the Vermont Public Accommodations Act also prohibits
discrimination based on sexual orientation, and town offices, where the
licenses are issued, have been determined by our courts to be places of
public accommodations," he said.

Those found guilty of violating the public accommodations law are
subject to a fine of $1,000 for each violation.

Several justices of the peace - in the towns of Dover, Whitingham and
Searsburg --insisted they would not perform the ceremonies. Two said
they would resign rather than do so.

"They tell me I have to marry lesbians and gay men and I say 'no way',"
said Helen Putnam of Searsburg. "What these people may do behind closed
doors is fine, but I will not marry them."

According to Vermont Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz, while
justices of the peace have the legal authority to perform marriages,
they -- unlike town clerks -- are not mandated by law to carry out
marriage ceremonies or civil unions.

The law creating civil unions grew out of a state Supreme Court decision
handed down in December. The decision concluded that same-sex couples
have been denied their right to the same benefits enjoyed by
heterosexual married couples and that the denial was unconstitutional.

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In the June, 1999 edition of The Idaho Observer,
we printed a story based upon shocking
revelations by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention regarding the inevitability of a
world-wide influenza pandemic and the police-
state mechanisms that will be triggered to handle
the resultant chaos. "Preparing For the Next
Influenza Pandemic" was broadcast to the nation's
health departments and institutes of public
health instruction February 25, 1999. The video,
if you have not seen it, is extremely
enlightening and is available upon request from
your local health department.

The next pandemic preparedness program from the
CDC is scheduled to be broadcast via satelite to
the nation's public health personnel July 13,
2000. We suggest that you contact your local
health department and reserve a seat from which
to witness what the federal government is telling
its legions of 5th branch medical soldiers.

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) has been
spreading the word of the pending CDC broadcast.
The IAC promotes mass and mandatory vaccination
as sound public health policy no matter how many
children are killed or permanently disabled as a
result of being vaccinated.

"The next influenza pandemic: Not if, but when"
is the central message of the annual 'Preparing
for the Next Influenza Pandemic' satellite
broadcast sponsored by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC). Public health
officials who attend this broadcast will learn
about strategies to address community needs
during the next influenza pandemic. Originally
scheduled for June, this year's broadcast has
been rescheduled for Thursday, July 13, 2000,"
the IAC explained.

CDC promotional literature for the program
stated, "Epidemiologists agree that the
probability is high that another dangerous new
strain of the influenza virus will emerge. In an
effort to lessen the worldwide morbidity and
mortality that such a strain will cause, public
health experts from federal, state, and local
agencies have developed state and local
guidelines to prepare for the next influenza
pandemic and its anticipated vaccine shortage and
disruption of social and community services. This
live, interactive satellite broadcast will update
local, state, and national plans, describe the
federal role in the case of pandemic influenza as
well as provide recommendations for antiviral
drug use and triage and infection control
measures."

For more information on this course, you can
visit the CDC's Public Health Training Network
website at:

http://www.cdc.gov/phtn/pandemic/pandemicflu.htm

Updates to the planning guide and general
broadcast information will be made available on
this website prior to July 13, 2000.

A guidebook titled "Pandemic Influenza: A
Planning Guide for State and Local Officials
(Draft 2.1)" will be the text for the course. To
download this document online, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/od/nvpo/pandemicflu.htm

To register or to receive information about
course materials and continuing education credit,
contact your State Immunization Coordinator. For
a list of State Immunization Coordinators and
their phone numbers, go to:

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/ed/coordinators.htm

Ingri Cassel, President of the North Idaho
Chapter of Vaccination Liberation will attend the
broadcast and a full report of the program will
be published in the August edition of The Idaho
Observer.

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SAO BERNARDO DOS CAMPOS, Brazil (Reuters) - Franciscan monks on
Sunday blessed and solemnly inaugurated Latin America's first pet
crematorium, a $5 million state-of-the-art complex where people can say a
final farewell to their pets.

``It is a place where one has a real, decent service for a pet -- be it a dog, a
spider or a horse,'' said a spokesman for the Altstut company that manages
the new crematorium, complete with mortuary. It will charge pet owners 630
reais ($350) for the service.

Owners can order a vigil in a chapel by monks of the order of St. Francis --
the protector of animals -- and then incinerate their beloved pet and bury the
urn on the premises or take it home.

The sprawling complex is located close to Sao Paulo, Brazil's biggest and
richest city, so despite a high price four times the minimum monthly wage of
151 reais ($83), owners hope to attract a large number of clients.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top aide to President Bill Clinton said Monday
unspecified hostile countries are studying U.S. computer networks for ways
to spark mayhem if war breaks out.

''This is not theoretical. It's real,'' said Richard Clarke, White House
National Security Council staff co-ordinator for security, infrastructure
protection and counter-terrorism.

For years, Clarke has been warning of the threat of an ''electronic Pearl
Harbor'' in the form of blitzes on the computerized infrastructure that
increasingly binds the United States.

In remarks to a cyber-security conference, he said several countries are
carrying out ''electronic reconnaissance today on our civilian
infrastructure computer networks.''

They were ''looking for ways that they could attack the United States in a
time of war,'' Clarke told the session organized by the American Enterprise
Institute, a public-policy research group in Washington.

He declined to identify any power allegedly carrying out such surveillance
and also declined to contradict a fellow panel member, Richard Perle, who
singled out North Korea by name.

Perle, an assistant U.S. secretary of defence for international security
policy from 1981 to 1987, said U.S. authorities have detected ''intrusions''
into U.S. networks from North Korea. He said North Korean hackers left
behind a
malicious code designed for possible activation as a kind of Trojan horse.

Pressed on the source of his information, Perle handed the question to
Clarke, who said he would leave it to the head of the Central Intelligence
Agency, George Tenet, to declassify the identities of alleged culprits.

CIA and other national-security officials have told Congress that China and
Russia are among countries allegedly developing ''information warfare''
capabilities to use against the United States in the event of war.

The U.S. Defence Department plans to make cyber blitzes on a foe's
computer
networks a standard tool of war, air force Gen. Richard Myers, now the
vice-chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said in January.

Clarke, in his comments to the conference, said he was trying to prod
Congress and the public to ward off a potential computer attack ''in which
cities have lost electrical power and telephones, gas pipelines are blowing up
across the country, trains have been derailed across the country,''

''A lot of people are going to be willing to throw civil liberties out the
window'' after any such computer attack, he said.

Clarke faulted the Republican-led Congress for failing to fund new
cyber-security programs called for in Clinton's budget for the fiscal year
2001, which begins Oct. 1.

Earlier in the day, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno urged high-technology
companies to step up co-operation with law-enforcement officials battling
cyber crime.

Acknowledging private-sector qualms about divulging security breaches, she
promised to minimize the impact of federal investigations on cyber-crime
victims.

''Today, I call on leaders in the high-tech industry to address this problem and
take concrete steps to report and encourage others to report cyber-crime
incidents to law enforcement,'' she told a ''cyber crime summit'' in Herndon,
Va., outside Washington.

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We have been following a story regarding Mars and a rogue comet
put out by the Millennium Group (see stories at:
http://www.millenngroup.com/repository/repository.html). Supposedly a
comet is/was due in our vicinity and it may hit Mars or one of its moon thus
impacting us in some way too. Again, supposedly there is a near blackout
regarding any news or pictures via NASA. The Millennium Group has one
article that pulls out one of Nostradamus' quatrains and also speaks to other
catastrophic prophecies from very, very questionable sources so we were
just kind of sitting on the story.

Having said that, the story became newsworthy yesterday for the following
reason:

>From NASA Watch:
>
> http://www.nasawatch.com/index.html
>
> 19 June 2000: Major Mars Announcement From NASA?
>
> Editor's note: Word has it that NASA recently briefed the
> White House on a potential major discovery on Mars. An
> announcement of some sort is rumored to be planned for
> next week and that it involves Mars Global Surveyor.
>
> http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/
>

Another email post that I received today says that there will be an
announcement on June 29, 2000 at 2:00 pm EDT.

This is just a heads-up to keep everyone informed.

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A map with the 10 world divisions can be found at
http://www.cuttingedge.org

Sharon B.

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[This first report was stunning. It arrived with the header "Russian
germ warfare antidote gives kids smallpox". That's enough to get
almost anyone's attention. We are assuming those making statements to
reporters and the reporters themselves meant to say "vaccinia virus".
We not only assume this, we hope and pray this is so. - Mod.CHC]

[1]

At least eight children in Russia's Far East have contracted a mild
form of smallpox from discarded vaccine ampoules which a local clinic
kept in case of germ warfare attack, officials said on Monday.

Few people living today -- even doctors -- have had any experience of
smallpox, which has been officially eradicated worldwide. The last
case of the disease was registered in 1977 in Africa and countries
stopped vaccinating against it in 1980.

Dmitry Maslov, chief local medical inspector, told Reuters the
children's infections did not put their lives in danger and could not
spread to others [see below]. NTV commercial television said the young
boys and girls's faces were likely to be scarred for life. Maslov
said doctors in the regional capital, Vladivostok, had trouble
diagnosing eight children aged six to 12 who had been taken to
hospital with fever and severe rashes. Their condition was pinned down
to smallpox when doctors discovered that the children had played with
glass ampoules they found in the dustbin of the local epidemiological
centre. The centre kept dozens of boxes of smallpox vaccine to combat
a possible enemy germ attack, as required by civil defence rules. When
the vaccine expired the medics threw the ampoules away instead of
destroying them, he said.

NTV said discarded boxes were strewn over a large area. A prosecutor
told Reuters officials expected to charge managers of the
epidemiological centre with criminal negligence. Over the last years
there have been a number of reported cases of Russians contracting
various diseases, including AIDS, due to alleged health care workers'
negligence.

The World Health Organization expressed concern Monday over the
careless way a Russian clinic discarded smallpox vaccine ampoules,
causing the infection of eight children.

The children aged six to 12 were diagnosed with a mild form of
smallpox [vaccinia virus] when doctors discovered that they had played
with glass ampoules they found in a dustbin of a local epidemiological
center in Russia's Far East, Russian officials said Monday. The
children had been taken to hospital with fever and severe rashes.

Smallpox was officially eradicated worldwide in 1980 when countries
stopped vaccinating against it. The last case of the disease was
registered in 1977 in Africa.

Spokesman Valery Abramov of the Geneva-based WHO said that although
the infections were not life-threatening, the vaccine ampoules should
have been incinerated before being discarded. "Smallpox has been
eradicated but the virus has not been destroyed completely due to the
remaining stocks in Russia and the United States. The stocks are there
because of fears about terrorist use of smallpox virus,'' Abramov
said. "The concern is how these vaccines are disposed of. Throwing
them away is against the rules. They need to be incinerated.''

The center kept dozens of boxes of smallpox vaccine to combat a
possible enemy germ attack, as required by civil defense rules. When
the vaccine expired the medics threw the ampoules away instead of
destroying them. Russian NTV television said the discarded boxes were
strewn over a large area.

--
ProMED-mail
e-mail: promed@promedmail.org

[Marjorie Pollack also sent along some useful references re: patient
to patient transmission of vaccinia virus.

There are reports of contact cases/vaccinia outbreaks in MMWR -- hence
the statement that there is no risk of transmission to others should
be qualified.

1. Vaccinia outbreak - Nevada, MMWR, (32)31:403-4; August 12,1983

In this outbreak there were 7 cases associated with contact with a
recently vaccinated military dependent (age 11). The cases occurred
following a slumber party attended by 7 other girls. The index case
had a "primary" reaction. The editorial note emphasized the ease of
person to person transmission of the virus. In this case it was
associated with exchanging and wearing articles of clothing.

2. Vaccinia outbreak - Newfoundland, MMWR; 1981;20:453-5 This article
was referenced in the preceding article but is not obtainable via a
websearch (pity I have the hardcopy at home in Atlanta). According to
the reference there was an outbreak (unknown number of cases) in
Canada associated with contact with a recently vaccinated person.

In this episode, the case was the 20 year old fiancee of the recently
vaccinated Marine. The case had no prior history of smallpox
vaccination.

4. Epidemiologic Notes and Reports Contact Spread of Vaccinia from a
National Guard Vaccinee -- Wisconsin (34)13:182 April 5, 1985

In this episode, the case was a 15 year old who had applied compresses
to a friend's vaccination site where there was a "successful
vaccination". There were no additional cases among 50 contacts of the
case who were followed. Of note, the case had a history of receiving
the vaccine at childhood with no documented reaction.

We should consider ourselves fortunate that these ampules were not
warheads. - Mod.CHC]

[Other contributors who reported on this topic include Candida St.
John, Edward McSweegan of NIAID and George Robertson. Thanks to all
for keeping ProMED-mail informed. - Mod.ES]

.....................................jw/chc/es

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A pastor says his denomination is "turned upside down" and must
return to its historic confessions, creeds, and catechisms.
Winfield "Casey" Jones, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in
Pearland, Texas, near Houston, has announced he will run for the
top leadership position in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
against incumbent Clifton Kirkpatrick. The denomination will hold its
212th General Assembly in Long Beach, Calif., June 24-July 1.
...Kirkpatrick has tried to open dialogue between the church's
polarized factions, according to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) News
Service. Jones says he doesn't mind dialogue, but believes the
denomination spends too much time trying to "find the middle position
and include everybody, and make everybody happy." ...Kirkpatrick has
said the denomination is in a crisis because of its weak theological
identity. "I think a confessional church operating on sola Scriptura
(Scripture alone) operates differently. We say, 'This is what we
understand the witness of Scripture to be; can you affirm that, live
with that, abide by that, until you get enough votes to change it?' "

Churches that are worlds apart theologically are breaking bread
together. Unitarian and conservative Christian congregations in
Colorado Springs are holding potluck dinners together to help
find common ground, The Colorado Springs Gazette reported. A
dozen people meet, bow for a moment of silence, eat dinner, then
begin a discussion. The rules are that the tone is measured and
respectful.
...The meetings between All Souls Unitarian Church and New Life
Church (see link #1 below) are part of a community dialogue
program begun in 1996 called Food for Thought. Groups meet 10
times to discuss the basis for moral authority, then decide
whether to continue or disband. The aim is to put together people from
a range of religious and political persuasions to help them gain a
better understanding of each other, the newspaper reported. ...Another
round of dinner meetings is in the works between members of New Life
Church and Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church, which ministers
to gays and lesbians, according to the Gazette.

A pollster is defending his finding that born-again Christians
divorce more than non-Christians. The national study by Barna
Research Group "has raised eyebrows, sowed confusion, even
brought on a little holy anger" in the six months since it was
issued, The Dallas Morning News reported. This led pollster
George Barna to issue a letter to his supporters letting them
know he is standing by his statistics, even though they are
upsetting.
...Barna's study found that members of nondenominational
churches, including Bible churches and other conservative
evangelicals, divorce 34 percent of the time in contrast with a
25 percent for the general population. Baptists had the highest
rate of the major denominations (29 percent) followed by the
overall rate for born-again Christians (27 percent). Atheists and
agnostics had the lowest rate of divorce, 21 percent, Barna found. "We
rarely find substantial differences" when comparing the moral behavior
of Christians and non-Christians in 70 categories, Barna said.
...David Popenoe, co-director of the National Marriage Project at
Rutgers University, told the Morning News that Barna's conclusions
don't stand up to other studies or to common sense. Christianity
supports belief in the family and in children based on the Bible,
making a bond that "the secular world doesn't have," Popenoe said. "It
just stands to reason that the bond of religion is protective of
marriage, and I believe it is."

-----------
RELATED LINKS:
1: http://www.newlifechurch.org/

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Sorry I could not find the map of which you speak. Please help, thank you!

Hazel

[Moderator: I don't know if these are the URLs Sharon had in mind, but
these contain information you may be interested in. I haven't come
across a map of the world-regions, but did come across an interesting
10-region map of the U.S. at one of the URLs listed:

> A map with the 10 world divisions can be found at
> http://www.cuttingedge.org
>
> Sharon B.

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1. SHAS RESIGNS
Shas ministers handed in their letters of resignation from the government
this afternoon, but the resignations take effect after 48 hours.
Officials in the Prime Minister's office initially refused to recognize
the letters as having been submitted, saying that they must be delivered
personally by each minister to the Prime Minister. Later, at 3:45 PM,
however, receipt of the letters was officially acknowledged. Arutz-7's
Haggai Seri took a cautious approach to the new situation, noting that the
sides will likely begin accelerated negotiations to strike a deal before
the resignations go into effect. Shas Council of Torah Sages secretary
Rabbi Raphael Pinchasi hinted as much as he was submitting the letters.
"There is still time to close the remaining gaps," he said.

Voice of Israel Radio reported from a gathering of Shas supporters this
afternoon that those in attendance were overjoyed with the developments,
and are hoping that the decision is final. Speaking with Arutz-7 earlier
today, Makor Rishon reporter Riki Shushan said that the key issue for Shas
is not its schools or radio stations, but the Shas ministers' feeling of
lack of involvement in the diplomatic process. "They feel that they are
simply told of diplomatic decisions, and are only needed for their vote,"
she said. "Shas voters are largely right-wing politically, and are not
willing to support the abandonment of 50,000 Yesha residents - and Shas
leaders know this." Shas MK Ya'ir Peretz told Yesha leaders yesterday
that Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef recently instructed the MKs to "preserve the Land
of Israel."

Prime Minister Barak told Labor party officials today that he would work
in the coming days for the establishment of "another government that will
work towards the advancement of Israel." Coalition whip Ofer Pines-Paz
said that Labor/One Israel "did all we could to answer to Shas' needs."
Meretz minister Ran Cohen called upon Barak to form a minority government
with outside Arab support, and said that Shas was to blame for the
situation.

The resignations came after Barak and Shas representatives met with
Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein this morning in a last-ditch effort to
find a solution for Shas' radio station demands. As of this morning,
still at issue were the powers to be assigned to Deputy Education Minister
Meshulam Nahari, the relationship between the Shas school system and its
private associations, and funding for new school buildings. National
Religious Party leader Rabbi Yitzchak Levy met with Likud leader MK Ariel
Sharon this afternoon to discuss the implications of the coalition crisis.
Sharon yesterday called on the NRP to leave the government immediately.

2. ALL-DAY STRIKE ENDS IN MASSIVE RALLY
Jerusalem streets were jammed throughout the day and evening hours
yesterday, as Yesha residents and their supporters from across the country
arrived in the tens of thousands for a day-long rally protesting the Barak
government's intention to transfer to foreign rule 50,000 Yesha residents
and uproot dozens of communities. A series of impassioned speeches in
Paris Square, across from the Prime Minister's residence, capped off the
emotionally- charged day.

Speaking to the crowd last night, NRP deputy minister Shaul Yahalom said:
"A state that is unfaithful to its pioneers - that dismantles its
communities, is not a strong state, and will not continue to successfully
develop and thrive. We call on Barak - Don't allow the state to be lost,
don't abandon your brothers! Return to your roots! The Yesha communities
were backed and developed by all Israeli governments since the Six Day
War.
The government has an obligation to strengthen them and not build a
Palestinian state in the heart of Israel." Likud MK Limor Livnat said
that Ehud Barak has no majority supporting his diplomatic initiatives, and
that any deal he arrives at without the mandate of a majority will not be
honored by a subsequent Likud-led government. MK Rabbi Benny Elon
(National Union-Yisrael Beiteinu) addressed "all of our fellow Jews,
whether they see themselves as traditional, religious, hareidi or
nationalist: Enough games! Let us all call on the NRP, Yisrael B'Aliyah
and Shas, to take the positive step of leaving this government. Let's
work together towards new elections, for a better government, to save the
Land of Israel and the State of Israel!"

Foreign Minister Levy today complimented Yesha residents on the planning
and execution of the day's protest activities. He said that at the top of
the government's agenda in its negotiations with the Palestinians is the
welfare of residents of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.

3. YEDIOT: WASHINGTON SUMMIT PLANNED
The offices of both Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat denied today a report in
Yediot Acharonot that a Barak-Clinton-Arafat summit has been scheduled in
Camp David for July 6. Foreign Minister David Levy and US ambassador to
Israel Martin Indyk said that the conditions "are still not yet ripe for a
summit," but added that the situation could change following U.S.
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's visit to the area next week. US
envoy Dennis Ross will arrive in Israel before Albright in an effort to
convince the sides to agree to such a summit.

4. WAQF BLOCKS MKS
An unlikely assemblage of Knesset members from the Likud, Meretz and Arab
parties toured the Temple Mount this afternoon with the intention of
examining the extensive damages caused by illegal Arab construction on the
Mount. Arutz-7 correspondent Effie Meir reports that Moslem Waqf
officials prevented the MKs from entering those areas in which its
building projects are underway, and did not permit the politicians to take
any pictures. Members of the Committee to Preserve Israel's Archeological
Sites, who accompanied the MKs, plan to submit a letter to Public Security
Minister Shlomo Ben Ami tomorrow, insisting both that journalists be
permitted into the area of the building site and that the traffic of
trucks to and from the holy site be halted. Correspondent Meir adds that
Arab MK Muhammed Kena'an claimed that the Waqf activities were perfectly
legal "since the Temple Mount is not under Israeli sovereignty."

5. NEW IDF CODE OF CONDUCT
The IDF is gearing up for a possible outbreak of Arab-initiated violence
in Yesha in mid-September following the possible unilateral declaration of
a Palestinian state. Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai Huberman reports that
the army is relating to the Palestinian Authority threat to conquer
settlements "very seriously." Huberman adds that, to this end, a new
guideline, dubbed, "The Red Line" has been instituted by the IDF.
According to the new rule, the crossing of a Yesha community fence by
Palestinian intruders - be they men, women or children - legally entitles
a soldier to open fire "with the intention to harm." According to the new
regulation, a soldier is no longer required to first fire in the air or
shoot at an attacker's feet. The IDF is also considering supplying
special army units in Yesha towns with rubber bullets and tear gas.

Foreign Minister David Levy responded today to a statement by PA Justice
Minister Fraih Abu Meddain concerning the readiness of the PA "to
sacrifice thousands of people in the case of a military confrontation with
Israel." Levy said that a person who says that he is ready to sacrifice
thousands of people shows disregard for human life. "One must not say
such things. It is the duty of leaders to prevent the loss of life," Levy
stated. "Israel will not succumb in the face of such threats and
declarations. We do not want confrontation. In the event of a
confrontation, we will take the necessary steps."

6. YESHA COUNCIL DECLINES "INVITATION"
Attorney-General Elyakim Rubenstein has summoned Yesha Council leaders for
a discussion on the topic of "proper approaches to protest," in the wake
of recent comments by Kedumim Rabbi Daniel Shilo and Dor Hemshekh leader
Shimon Riklin.

Earlier this month, Rabbi Shilo wrote the following Shabbat message to his
community in the Kedumim community bulletin:

"The transfer of parts of Eretz Yisrael to foreigners, when it is possible
to protect them and prevent such a move, is a grave crime against the
People of Israel. Even the most evil Jewish leaders throughout the Land's
history never willingly did such a thing. This is treachery, not only to
historic Torah tradition, but to the entire national legacy... The
transfer of communities to foreign rule in Eretz Yisrael stands contrary
to the Torah commandment of settling the Land, even if the foreign rule is
just and fair. When the transfer is to a hostile and corrupt regime, it
is simply a vile act... The Holocaust was made possible by politicians'
ideas and illusions, and by the blindness of the Jewish leadership that
did not heed the dangers. The spiritual descendants of those who were
struck by blindness then are those who are leading this move [today]...
In light of this scheme, there must be a general and comprehensive
enlistment to act firmly and wisely to thwart it."

Riklin told Labor party activists that the uprooting of 50,000 people from
their homes may create a very tense public atmosphere that could bring
about the assassination of another Prime Minister.

The Yesha Council refused Rubenstein's invitation to meet, explaining that
it feels no need "to come and hear educational lectures or warnings about
how to conduct political protests. We are not seeking a certificate of
honorable mention or a certificate of Kashruth from the Attorney-General."
Yesha Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef added today that freedom of
speech includes the right to criticize government policy, and that this
does not constitute incitement. Mor-Yosef added that the
Attorney-General's time would be better spent examining the legality of
expelling Israeli citizens from their homes and communities in Yesha.

7. ANAN BACKS ISRAEL'S CLAIMS
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Anan, in Beirut today, rejected the
Lebanese government's claim that Israel has not completed its withdrawal
from Lebanon. He admitted, however, that the final UN confirmation will
come only after Israel redeploys out of two small areas along the
international border.

8. NO CONFIDENCE
The Likud has submitted a new no-confidence motion against the government
in light of reports that Barak intends to cede the majority of the Jordan
Valley to the Palestinians. Yesterday, Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim
Sneh confirmed to Jordan Valley residents that the government indeed
intends to transfer to the PA large tracts of the region. The Labor
party, however, has officially adopted a policy to make every effort to
have the Jordan Valley remain under Israeli sovereignty.

9. CRISIS OF DEMOCRACY IN EGYPT
"Arab regimes use the Arab-Israeli conflict to justify their authoritarian
tendencies. The growth of fundamentalist Islam is preventing Egypt from
modernizing." So says Egyptian author and publisher Amin Al-Mahdi in a
new book, "The Arab-Israeli Conflict: the Crisis of Democracy and Peace."
Al-Mahdi's views are reviewed in depth in a study released today by the
Middle East Media Research Institute (http://www.memri.org) Following are
excerpts from a recent interview in Ma'ariv newspaper and Al-Mahdi's book:

* The Egyptian government, states Al-Mahdi, encourages the Egyptian press
to be hostile towards Israel: "This is schizophrenia. An editor who
wants to have a pro-peace line finds it impossible. He is pressured by
demagogic... officials. This pressure may culminate in 'civil' murder. I
have friends who support my opinions, but they work for the government
press and their hands are tied..."

* "Our media directs the public opinion against Israel in order to divert
it from the real problems... After all, our economic situation is bad; we
have Islamic extremism; our freedom is incomplete."

* "Arab regimes, including the Egyptian [regime], did not want to copy the
Israeli democracy because they feared it would lead to their downfall.
The conflict with Israel served Arab regimes as a justification for their
dictatorial policy. The policy of intimidation prevented a dialogue and
the possibility of getting to know the enemy..."

* "The Egyptian mentality regarding peaceful relations with Israel is
pathetic. We have a fascist regime. Such a regime needs wars in order to
justify its centralization. It needs an external danger..."

10. NORTHERN ROADS
Director-General of the Prime Minister's Office Yossi Kucik met last night
with senior officials from the Defense, Transportation, and Finance
Ministries, as well as Jewish National Fund representatives and approved a
100 million shekel ($25 million) plan for paving new access roads for
seven communities along the northern border with Lebanon. The work is
slated to begin in August.

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[This is the lastest response from NASA concerning Comet 76P and
Mars. Again, we are not taking a position on this. We are not trying
to spread rumors or false reports. We are just sharing info to keep
you
informed.]

http://encke.jpl.nasa.gov/

In the much to do about nothing file...

76P/West-Kohoutek-Ikemura: This comet made a relatively close approach
to Mars on June 5 when it was about 6.5 million kilometers (0.04308
AU)
from the planet. This information comes from the people who compute
planetary, comet and asteroid orbits here at JPL. The comet didn't
come
close to either moon of Mars. Deimos, the moon farthest from Mars, has
an orbital radius of about 23,500 km...no where near 6.5 million
kilometers. 76P did not hit Mars or either moon. There is at least one
image of this comet on the web by a very good astrophotographer. [My
comment about why there were no images was in response to many e-mails
claiming that there were no images on the web.] So I will modify my
comment...There are few images of 76P on the web because it is a faint
periodic comet that doesn't get very bright even when it is at its
brightest. It simply isn't very interesting. [There are quite a few
periodic comets, which tend to be faint, that few or any images on the
web. This means nothing.]

The fact that 76P was the original target of the Deep Space 1 mission
doesn't mean much. In many cases target selections for space missions
are based on what is available...that is, what comets can the
spacecraft
get to given the launch date, fuel carried by the spacecraft, other
aspects of the mission, etc. If the launch date changes, the target
comet will change. 76P is not an important comet.

There are no images of the comet when it was close to Mars because
Mars
and the comet are in conjunction with the Sun. That is, both objects
are
hidden by the glare of the Sun. And no, Hubble can not observe it
either
because it is too close to the Sun...Hubble has limits on how close to
the Sun it can point. If it points too close to the Sun, it could
damage
its instruments.

There has been no ephemeris posted on this comet because it is not
currently observable. I have posted the orbital elements and ephemeris
for 76P.

This close approach to Mars is much to do about nothing...

If you wish to believe the rumors about this comet, that is your
right.
However, the group promoting them is the same group that promoted the
garbage about Comet Lee (see below)...nothing happened with Comet Lee
and nothing happened (or will happen) with 76P/West-Kohoutek-Ikemura.
How many times do they have to fool you before you start to doubt
their
creditibility?

csm 6/19/00

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Please be advised that this domain (Philologos.org) does not
endorse 100 per cent any link contained herein. This forum is for the
dissemination of pertinent information on an end-times biblical theme which
includes many disturbing, unethical, immoral, etc. topics and should be viewed
with a mature, discerning eye.